Oven-braised sauerkraut

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather everything you need to make oven-braised sauerkraut. You can buy the kraut at a store or a farmers' market, but homemade is best of all — you'll know exactly what's in it and how it tastes.

2. Step 2:

   

   Squeeze the sauerkraut, rinse it in cold water, and squeeze it again. If the kraut is very sour, you can soak it briefly in cold water and then rinse it. Or cover it with cold water, stir in a little baking soda, and wait for the fizzing to stop. Drain, rinse the kraut, and squeeze it dry.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel and rinse the carrot and onion. Grate the carrot on the coarse side of a grater and finely chop the onion. Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it over medium. Add the chopped vegetables and saute for 5 to 7 minutes. You can use butter instead of oil — it works just as well.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add the sauteed vegetables to the bowl with the squeezed kraut and stir. Add the sugar and black pepper and stir again.

5. Step 5:

   

   Take a baking pot and grease the inside with vegetable oil. Pour in a little water and transfer the prepared sauerkraut into it. Even though it will cook down as it braises, I don't recommend packing it in too tightly. Cover snugly with the pot's lid.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put it in a hot oven and braise for 40 to 55 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. While it cooks, it's a good idea to stir it a few times and watch that it doesn't scorch. If it isn't done yet and the liquid has cooked away, add a little more water. Scorching is exactly what turns the cabbage very dark and gives it an unappetizing burnt smell. That smell can't be masked by anything, and everything you've made will have to be thrown out.

7. Step 7:

   

   When it's done, take out the pot and carefully lift the lid, since there's hot steam underneath. Divide among plates and sprinkle with dill. Serve with rye bread, meat, chicken or fish, fresh herbs, and vegetables.

8. Step 8:

   

   Enjoy!